Act 3 of Othello Quotations Flashcards
(28 cards)
Iago says he will get Othello out of the way so that Cassio can speak to Desdemona in private.
‘I’ll devise a mean to draw the Moor out of the way’
After speaking with Cassio, Desdemona promises she will do everything she can to get him his job back.
‘I will do all my abilities in thy behalf’
Cassio quickly leaves after seeing Othello and Iago enter, to which Iago says…
‘Ha! I like not that’
Desdemona asks Othello if Cassio can join them for dinner to discuss getting his job back. After Desdemona has asked many times, Othello gives in because of his devotion to her.
‘Prithee, no more, let him come when he will, I will deny thee nothing’
When Desdemona leaves, Othello reflects on his love for her and its power.
‘Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul but I do love thee, and when I love thee not, chaos is come again’
After a lot of questioning, Iago tells Othello that he thinks Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. He warns him about the harmful nature of jealousy.
‘O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock, the meat it feeds on’
Othello reflects on the theme of appearance vs. reality and says he trusts Desdemona and doesn’t believe Iago. This is because Desdemona married Othello despite his race and age.
‘For she had eyes and chose me’
Iago tells Othello to keep an eye on Desdemona and Cassio because he is suspicious of them.
‘Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio’
Iago refers back to Brabantio’s warning in Act 1 about his daughter as a form of manipulation.
‘She did deceive her father, marrying you’
Othello begins to question Desdemona’s fidelity in his soliloquy. However, when she enters with Emilia he concludes she couldn’t possibly be unfaithful.
‘If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself; I’ll not believe it’
Desdemona enters, calling Othello to dinner and pleas again about Cassio’s job. Othello says he has a headache and Desdemona offers him her handkerchief. It falls to the floor.
‘[He puts the handkerchief from him, and she drops it]’ (stage direction)
Emilia picks up the handkerchief saying her husband had told her many times to take it.
‘My wayward husband hath a hundred time wooed me to steal it’
Emilia says she just wants to make Iago happy.
‘I nothing but to please his fantasy’
When Emilia gives Iago the handkerchief and leaves, he says he plans to plant it in ‘Cassio’s lodging’ and ‘let him find it’ because this would confirm Othello’s growing suspicions.
‘Trifles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong’
Othello is angry with Iago for telling him about Desdemona’s affair and wishes he didn’t know about it. (2 quotations)
‘I saw’t not, thought it not, it harmed not me’ and ‘Farewell content’
Othello asks for real evidence from Iago that Desdemona is unfaithful.
‘Give me the ocular proof’
Iago describes (lies) in vivid detail how Cassio talks about Desdemona in his sleep.
‘In sleep I heard him say, ‘Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves.’’
Iago tells Othello that he saw Cassio holding Desdemona’s handkerchief as another proof of her infidelity.
‘Such a handkerchief- I am sure it was your wife’s- did I today see Cassio wipe his beard with’
Othello and Iago agree an alliance and Othello commands him to kill Cassio.
‘Within these three days let me hear thee say that Cassio’s not alive’
Othello, when agreeing an alliance with Iago, describes it as if it were a marriage. Like the ending of the marriage between him and Desdemona and the beginning of a new twisted version with Iago.
‘In the due reverence of a sacred vow I here engage my words’
Iago agrees to the alliance and submits entirely to Othello.
‘I am your own for ever’
Othello, convinced that Desdemona has been unfaithful, enters and takes her hand. He implies she has been promiscuous.
‘This hand is moist, my lady’
Othello asks Desdemona for her handkerchief as a test to see if she has given it to Cassio. Desdemona, unaware of the danger, appears suspicious when she says…
‘I have it not about me’
Othello tells Desdemona an elaborate story about the handkerchief, telling her it has been in the family for generations and is magic. He then continues to pry about its whereabouts. (2 quotations)
‘Fetch me the handkerchief, my mind misgives’ and repeats ‘the handkerchief!’
